Dr Mungherera has been suffering the agony of the poverty of the medical fraternity that is in Uganda:

February 8, 2017

Written by BAMUTURAKI MUSINGUZI

Dr Margaret Mungherera, the former president of the World Medical Association, died of cancer last week. As a tribute to one of the world's most respected and outspoken health rights activists, we republish this feature about Mungherera by BAMUTURAKI MUSINGUZI first published by The Observer in January 2014.

When Ugandan psychiatrist Margaret Mungherera was voted unopposed as president-elect of the prestigious World Medical Association (WMA) – the event conjured up bitter memories when she was refused to practice medicine in Britain 28 years ago.

Mungherera had travelled to the UK to pursue a diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene at the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in 1984, after completing her internship at Mulago hospital a year before.

In 1980 the General Medical Council in the UK had banned doctors from a number of countries, Uganda inclusive, from working in England for various reasons, including the insecurity in Uganda then, and an alleged decline in standards here. Hence while Mungherera’s classmates from India, Nigeria and Ghana were allowed to practice, Ugandans were rejected as unworthy.

“For us personally as doctors we felt sort of downgraded and humiliated. It meant that if you could not work in England, then you could not work in Germany, France or Europe,” Mungherera says.

She recalls that even when they were admitted, they were told they could not touch patients, meaning that it was going to be a theoretical course.

“It was OK that we were not allowed into courses that were clinical at the time. It must have been up until the 1990s when we struggled and we were recognized again.”

Mungherera’s highest personal recognition came in October 2012, when she was voted WMA president-elect for 2013-2014 at the association’s annual General Assembly in Bangkok, Thailand. A year later, in Fortaleza, Brazil, she was installed as president at the WMA general assembly.

WMA, acting on behalf of patients and physicians, endeavours to achieve the highest possible standards of medical care, ethics, education and health-related human rights for all people.

“When I was taking up this post, the people who actually looked for me were from the British Medical Association. I also had doctors from the American, German and South African Medical Associations who actually rallied and convinced me to take up this challenge. And so when I was declared unopposed at the meeting in Bangkok last year, the first thing that came into my mind was how I felt that afternoon when I was not allowed to register in the UK,” Mungherera says, remarking what a “wonderful thing” it is that the British now think a Ugandan can lead.

Mungherera is only the third woman to head the 66-year-old association, after Dr P. Kincaid-Smith from Australia (1994-5) and Dr Kati Myllymaki from Finland (2002-3). And she is the second African president, after South Africa’s Bernard Mandell (1996-7). She sees this as more evidence to a gender-imbalanced world – that women can ably lead.

“As president, I am going to be the ambassador of the association. I will be the mouthpiece and spokesperson. I will represent WMA at the United Nations and World Health Organisation meetings and other bodies that have a relationship with the association. I will also be visiting national member associations especially where health workers have challenges. If, for example, they have unfairly detained a health worker or where rights of health workers are being violated,” she says.

Mungherera has been a medical doctor for over 30 years and a psychiatrist for 20 years. She specializes in forensic psychiatry at Mulago teaching and referral hospital. She also has responsibilities as the clinical head, directorate of Medical Services (departments of Internal Medicine and Psychiatry). In addition, she is a senior consultant psychiatrist at Mulago hospital, in charge of psychiatry emergency services.

Mungherera is a founding member of the Association of Uganda Women Medical Doctors and was the first woman to be elected honorary president of the Uganda Medical Association (UMA) since its formation in 1963. She is also its longest-serving president – 1998-2005 and again from 2010 to-date. As WMA boss, she hopes to tackle the challenges of delivering quality healthcare to millions around the world. And she articulates the problem clearly.

“I think the main challenge is that there is a human resource crisis all over the world whether you are talking about high, middle or low-income countries. The most affected areas are the low and middle-income countries. In terms of migration there is a lot of internal and external migration. People are migrating from the South to the North. People are even migrating within their countries from rural to urban areas. So, there is a lot of inequality in terms of distribution of health workers,” she says.

“I also think that the profession has low numbers but also there is a shortage of skills. The skills that are necessary now are to do with the new diseases that have emerged. For example, we as doctors should no longer keep sitting in our clinics; we should be out there doing advocacy, public awareness and health promotions.

“The diseases have changed; we should be talking about lifestyle, more than infections. [Of] course infections are important but lifestyle is a very important issue now. The other challenge as new diseases and epidemics emerge, there is reduced resources for health care. In most countries health care resources are going down,” she added.

Dr Mungherera supervising work at Mulago hospital in 2014

To address these challenges, Mungherera suggests that governments should show more commitment and increase funding for the sector. And the private sector, too, should be more involved in providing solutions.

“For example, a lot of governments have signed the Abuja Declaration, which requires all countries to allocate at least 15 per cent of their national budgets to health. It is not happening in any of the low-income countries and even some middle income countries.”

Mungherera also stresses that research has to be the pillar of efficient healthcare systems.

“We need to be providing services that are based on evidence. So, in many of these countries there is very little money for research. And a lot of research is done by institutions elsewhere. A lot of research is not being translated into policy and action; so, there is a lot of wastage of resources for research. We need to get more money but also target the money to where it is needed to influence policy and action.”

UP TO THE TASK

According the former WMA president, Dr Cecil Wilson, there is no doubt Mungherera will make a great president.

“In talking with Dr Mungherera about her vision for the WMA, what comes through loud and clear is a dedication to bringing the disparate member organisations of the WMA together,” Wilson wrote in his blog posted on the WMA website.

The principal medical officer in charge of mental health at the Ugandan ministry of Health, Dr Sheila Ndyanabangi, describes Mungherera as a charismatic, driven, outspoken, and truly emancipated woman.

“She has fought for the medical profession and the rights for women, men, children and health workers. She was a pioneer in starting health services for after-rape victims,” Ndyanabangi told The Observer. “Therefore, I think she has a lot to offer in coming up with new approaches in empowering health workers in general but also the medical doctors to fulfill their potential in as far as they can contribute to the wellbeing of the population.”

A particular area of concern for Mungherera is the delivery of psychiatric services in Africa, which are hindered by challenges such as the stigma associated with mental illness.

“Stigma also leads to limited resources provided by families, communities and governments. And our services are still rudimentary if you compare them with those in the West. We need to do more work with traditional healers because we know they have a role to play. We need [to] train, educate, and reorient them on what our different roles should be.”

“We need to educate the masses about the common causes of mental illness and how they can recognize mental problems. We also need to integrate mental care into primary healthcare so that every health worker can recognize the form of condition and to give some sort of treatment and know when and where to refer.”

Mungherera notes that immunization is not the responsibility of the health sector only but a multi-sectoral issue that calls for adequate funds for social mobilization.

“If we do not put enough money and effort in social mobilization, we are not going to get the results we want as far as immunization is concerned.”

Mungherera observes that the medical sector in East Africa is developing with the input from the private sector but more resources are required to gain higher growth.

“Things would move faster if we had more resources and especially the human resource. However, in the last 20 years a lot has changed in the way we manage and prevent diseases, and the number of skilled professions has increased. With more resources we can actually get where we can say it is of good standard,” she adds.

In 2000, Mungherera initiated discussions between national medical associations in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, a move that culminated in the formation of the Federation of East African Medical and Dental Associations.

A significant achievement of the federation has been to bring together for the first time national medical associations to work with their regulatory bodies in the Eastern African region (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and later Rwanda and Burundi) to strategise and plan for a joint effort to promote standards in training of doctors, regulation, continuing professional development, cross-border disease surveillance and emergency response.

President Yoweri Museveni appointed Mungherera a member of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Global Fund for HIV/Aids, TB and Malaria (2004-2005) and member, Public Universities Visitation Committee (2005-2006).

Mungherera, who was born on October 25, 1957, has five siblings, including four medical doctors. She is married to Richard Mushanga, a retired banker, and she has an adult step-son and four grandaughters.

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Of late these are the modern African medical professionals who seem to have suffered the fool concerning the self inflicted poverty of the country of Uganda. The country of Uganda cannot be struggling to own and use only one cancer treatment machine out of about 50 modern British style hospitals flourishing nationwide. It is a disgrace.

A MEDICAL LETTER FOR AMAMA MBABAZI

January 6, 2017

Written by MOSES KHISA

Mr Amama Mbabazzi

Dear Ndugu Amama,

Greetings! I had hoped to speak with you in Kampala just before Christmas day, but the vicissitudes of life and the messiness of our city made it a little difficult. Before long, I was back to base in Chicago.

One of your aides intimated that you had recently asked about me. And coincidentally, one of the ardent readers of this column, Samuel, not too long ago wanted to know if I knew what you are up to lately. I promised him I would put the question to you directly. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to.

Meanwhile, I was meaning to write you a line on the email when news broke through with a bang: you are in talks with Uganda’s chief fighter, Ssabalwanyi General Museveni, through your daughter Rachel.

Rachel came very close to fully confirming this development, telling the Daily Monitor newspaper: “Yes, I have met the president on several occasions. However, it is bad manners to disclose what one discusses with one’s elders.”

This news has attracted indignation, at least on social media.

The two brothers running the affairs of the country of Uganda.

Ugandans who are sick and tired of Museveni’s decadent rule are resolutely hostile to any rationale for meeting with and talking to a man you so diligently served.

I have a different view, though. The issue shouldn’t be about meeting or not meeting, it’s about why you have to meet and talk. You sure should meet Mr Museveni and speak to him candidly.

I don’t wish to sound presumptuous, but if you may permit me, I should like to remind you something you know all too well. Museveni has a knack for humiliating those who oppose him, chiding anyone who disagrees with him, discrediting and assaulting whoever threatens his grip on power.

NRM swimming in cash money.

I suspect that you are a man who prides in his honour and integrity. The last thing you want to do is crawl back to the Ssabalwanyi begging for favours and access to state largesse. The late Eriya Kategaya went through that ignominy and must have died a depressed man.

At any rate, you should savour a meeting with Museveni and tell him more forcefully what you have told him in the past: that his time is up. Tell him it is in his best interest to work out an exit plan before it becomes inevitable to depart disgracefully. Impress upon him not to wait for 2021 because he should have already left, anyway.

Tell him that harkening back to the Constitution is hollow. The Constitution was long abrogated, otherwise, we wouldn’t have flagrant disregard of court decisions, abuse of court processes, and illegal use of force especially at the behest of a partisan head of the Uganda Police Force. So, there is no constitutional order to talk about.

As you know, with your explicit involvement and enthusiastic participation, the infant 1995 Constitution received a severe knockdown in 2005. It was damned beyond redemption. The country will need a new Constitution once the current system is set aside, one way or the other, in the near future.

That said, Ndugu, I should like to propose that you use the opportunity of meeting your old comrade to persuade him that he is out of touch with the real problems of Uganda. He needs to clear the way and create the space for a new leadership that can reimagine a new Uganda and forge a better future.

The illusion that it is him to save our country and the mass of our compatriots from intractable socioeconomic and political problems has driven the country to a cliffhanger. The insecurity borne of a dubious long stay in power has bred blatant nepotism and a bloated personal security apparatus, weighing heavily on the national budget.

Remind General Museveni that the longer he has clung on, the more he has set up the country for a dangerous end to his rule, something that seems to have attracted disquiet from right inside his family environs, if the ramblings of one of his sons-in-law is to be taken at face value.

The writing is right on the wall. Remind him that there are many historical lessons to look to if at all he is in doubt as to how the course of history can sometimes unfold following its own laws and in total disregard of human ingenuity and logic.

Uganda is not at all inoculated against the kinds of tragic events we have seen in other countries where rulers cling onto power, effectively undermining and undoing whatever progress in place and leaving behind ruins when finally forced out.

I understand that General Museveni is not particularly keen on taking advice, never mind the over 100 advisors. But if you can impress upon him the urgency of his exit from power, you will have done a great service to the nation, arguably more important than what you did as a government official for three decades.

The next time I am in town, I will be sure to seek you out about receipt of, and reaction to, this letter. I hope you will still be holding your own in opposing life presidency and family rule in Uganda.

The author teaches political science at Northwestern University/Evanston, Chicago-USA.

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The message this writer is making has already been made through the recent expansive General Election of 2016. Mr Mbabazi has a very sick wife and with the advice of his strong daughters, there is not enough money in the family to treat their mother of cancer all over the world's medical hospitals.

Sewerage pipes that are always blocked by condoms at the Masaka sewerage plant.

MASAKA,BUGANDA, UGANDA -

Condoms flushed from the toilets of lodges in Masaka town and also dumped in the sewerage plant threaten the municipality's sewerage system functioning.

The National Water Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) sewerage plant that was built in 1952 has been intruded by town dwellers who dump condoms and polythene bags into it.

"The condoms and dead animals like dogs and cats and are being dumped into the sewerage plant and they cause blockage, making workers to constantly unblock the manholes," Joseph Mugenyi the area manager NWSC Masaka told MPs of Parliamentary Forum on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene and officials from Uganda Water Network (UWASNET) on Friday.

The group of legislators was on a field tour to assess the implementation of WASH programme in the district.

Mugenyi said his workers have a mighty task to prevent the municipality from being enveloped in filth if the sewerage overflows.

"The workers keep monitoring and unblocking the manhole whenever they have been blocked by condoms to prevent the sewerage from overflowing. Otherwise, the whole town would be full of stench," he said.

The water area manager said plans are underway to fence the sewerage plant to prevent residents of the town from dumping waste into it.

A team of MPs inspected the plant on Friday.

Workers always unblock the sewerage pipes.

The sewerage plant was built 63 years ago.

Condoms and dead animals are usually dumped in the sewerage plant. (Photo credit: Francis Emorut)

The vice chairperson of the Parliamentary Forum on WASH Ephraim Biraaro emphasized the need to sensitize the municipal dwellers on the dangers of flushing condoms into their toilet systems or dumping them in the sewerage plant.

He appealed to the district leaders to sensitize the masses on the proper way of condom disposal.

Biraaro also called for the implementation of the polythene bag law which banned its manufacture.

Ngora Woman MP Jacline Amongin, who is also the chairperson of Parliamentary Forum on WASH, called for more funding for water, sanitation and hygiene.

She asked the district authorities to prioritise sanitation and hygiene.

The MPs were also shown new technologies of water source and harvesting in Kalungu.

Lawmaker Hatwib Katoto warned that if the district authorities don't take action the municipality would experience an outbreak of cholera.

The Oil rich African country of Nigeria has started to borrow money to pay salaries as Interna

tional price of oil tumbles:

By Agencies

Posted Thursday, May 7 2015

NIGERIA, Lagos A cash shortage caused by low oil prices has forced Nigeria to borrow heavily through the early part of 2015, with the government struggling to pay public workers, officials said yesterday.

“We have serious challenges. Things have been tough since the beginning of the year and they are likely to remain so till the end of the year,” said Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Nigeria, Africa’s top economy and largest oil producer, has been hammered by the 50 per cent fall in oil prices, with crude sales accounting for more than 70 per cent of government revenue.

“As it stands today, most states of the federation have not been able to pay salaries and even the federal government has not paid (April) salary and that is very worrisome,” said Imo state governor Rochas Okorocha.

Nb

It seems that Third World countries have a long way to learn how to handle their economies with a bit of caution. It is bad indeed to put ones eggs in one basket.

Regional Tier for the Kingdom of Buganda was refused many years ago.

With such an arrangement there is no need to have a lukiiko , or use the name Katikkiro or refer to Kabaka.

M/s Mpanga of Buganda Kingdom

They can call him Governor or District Head and seat him anywhere but not in Bulange.

We may be back to the same old arguments.

On 15 Feb 2017

By Haji Ahmed,

Central gov't will cede specified powers and rights to the Buganda Kingdom.

The citizens of Buganda Kingdom (who are these?) will elect a Lukiko (parliament) which will make laws to govern Buganda Kingdom.

The Lukiiko will appoint the Katikioro (Prime Minister or President) who will head a government or administration. .

4.The Katikioro is accountable to the Lukiiko, and the Lukiiko is accountable to Uganda Parliament.

So where does this leave the Kabaka? What are his constitutional roles: are they spelt out in the Constitution you keep going on and on about?

Buganda Government should be restored first with a Katikkiro with

executive powers and Lukiiko with legislative powers, which shall form

a Buganda Land Board, in accordance with the constituion, which will

manage Lubiri on behalf of the Kabaka, who, according to 1955

constitution holds official mailo and public land in Buganda, in

people;s trust.

Mayiga is already a walking "former " Katikkiro. A lot has happened!

"In tribute to the United Kingdom and the Republic of Uganda, two bastions

of strength in a world filled with strife, discrimination and terrorism."

*Buganda Lukiiko*,

Katikkiro Mayiga seemed confident that members would rubberstamp his

plans

to lease the 132 year old national and cultural palace of the Kabaka of

Buganda (*Mengo Lubiri*) to foreigners. He spent over an hour of reverse

down a “roadblock” against his scheme. When she got a chance to respond

to

Mr. Mayiga’s speech, Mpanga systematically, and with some humor,

explained

why the Katikkiro’s plans for Mengo Lubiri were poorly reasoned, not

well

informed by Buganda history or culture and are dangerous, even to Kabaka

Mutebi’s reign.

In his speech, Mr. Mayiga had spoken in the style of a non-Muganda when

he

said, “I can never understand Baganda” and claimed that Baganda are

short-sighted because they opposed former Katikkiros Kawalya Kaggwa “for> bringing electricity” and “killed Martin Nsibirwa for donating Buganda> land> for the now glorious Makerere University”. He even claimed that the same

The European Union joins the Ugandan political opposition for Electoral Reforms

The EU Ambassador Kristian Schmidt (pictured)

File photo

By Solomon Arinaitwe

Posted Thursday, March 26 2015

Kampala.UGANDA. The European Union has become the latest group to rattle government, saying it shares the concerns of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) about delays in passing electoral reforms.

In a statement on Wednesday, EU Ambassador Kristian Schmidt signalled that with less than 12 months before the February 2016 poll, time was running out, backing a view taken in the latest UHRC annual report.

“With less than a year left to the next elections, electoral reforms need to be prioritised and implemented if they are to be effective and credible. The report is an important and highly relevant contribution by an independent body to the electoral reform debate,” Mr Schmidt said.

The EU is among Uganda’s leading development partners.

The envoy also observed that in the last 12 months, it was pleasing to witness vibrant public debate on electoral reforms which has resulted in a number of concrete proposals.

Mr Schmidt’s statement came hours after a government reaction suggested it was reeling from the hard-hitting report by the UHRC.

“The EU, therefore urges the government to act promptly on the proposed reforms to ensure a level playing field and transparency in the 2016 General Elections,” the statement said. Government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo, who had on Tuesday said the report was “shallow and unfortunate”, again took a dim view of this latest in a rising chorus of criticism about the handling of the run-in to the 2016 election.

“If you fast-track electoral reforms, what evidence is there that there will be consensus building and a good outcome? There is no guarantee that if we introduce the electoral reforms now there will be positive response,” Mr Opondo said.

But with the pressure for reforms building, government seems to be flip-flopping on when it will table them. Premier Ruhakana Rugunda last week back-tracked on a promise, saying it would be “erroneous to make false deadlines”.

Shadow Justice Minister Medard Sseggona yesterday indicated that the Opposition has now learnt of a plot by the government to shoot down Opposition plans to table a Private Members Bill on the constitutional amendments to ensure reforms.

“They have taken that decision that they will use their numbers to block us from taking leave of Parliament to prepare our Bill and that we will not be given a Certificate of Financial Implications (a key technical requirement for Bills). We are not deterred. We are preparing our Bills and will cross the bridge when we get there,” Mr Ssegona said.

Uganda is in the democratic hopes of appointing a new Electoral Commission:

A history of electoral governance in Uganda is a negative one

Kato Lubwama in a scuffle with the police within the premises of the High Courts of Law in Uganda over electrol malpractices

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 4 2016

By Mwambutsya Ndebesa

Electoral governance is very central in the transition to a democratic dispensation. In fact the appointment of the electoral commission is a test for whether the country has chosen to take the path of democratic transition or one of sliding back into authoritarianism. The nature of electoral governance can lead to conflict management or conflict escalation. Electoral governance can be a tool for fighting corruption or promoting it because those elected corruptly are more likely to engage in corruption after assuming the office but those elected with integrity are more likely to serve with integrity. Electoral governance can be used as an instrument of building political consensus in a country or as an instrument for political manipulation and therefore disharmony. Electoral good governance and management can be a tool for better management of diversity in a heterogeneous country like Uganda.

A history of electoral governance in Uganda is a negative one. In the 1961 general elections, the potential voters in Buganda Kingdom were intimidated and harassed out of registration and voting but the then electoral commission did little to avert that practice. In 1962 elections and again especially in Buganda Kingdom the electoral commission appointed locally and controlled by the then Mengo government heavily rigged elections in favor of Kabaka Yeka party against the Democratic Party. In the 1980 elections the then head of state Paul Muwanga compromised the electoral commission results in favor of Uganda People’s Congress. Since the 1990’s the Uganda electoral commission has been accused of bias as manifested in the High and Supreme Court petition judgments as well as in the reports of election observers.

There is a positive correlation between the conduct of the electoral commission and the quality of the democratic process in democratic transitions like Uganda. Actually in Sub-Saharan Africa, the countries that have been hailed for making headway in democratic transitions since the wind of change or is it the change in the wind of the 1990’s, are Benin and Ghana. It is no coincidence that the electoral commissions of these countries have also been rated among the best electoral commissions in respect of impartiality on the African continent. On the other hand the countries that analysts have placed in categories of democratic blocked transitions in Africa such as Togo and Cameroon have biased and partisan electoral commissions.

Therefore the process of appointing electoral commissioners needs much attention and scrutiny. The following are the tips for appointing impartial and competent electoral commissioners; The person to be appointed a member of the electoral commission should have a history of impartiality in conducting public affairs. This person should not be holding nor should have held a political party position or post in the last five years. Note that there is a difference between a post and a position. A position is any high place within the hierarchy of a party such as an MP or party leader of any kind be it chairman or member of the executive. A post refers to employment in the party such as being a party civil servant at the national or district secretariat.

This person should have a history of independent mindedness in thinking and debating issues of public concern

He should not hold any other public office—like it is with the current chairman of the EC who is also the technical supervisor of Karuma Dam construction

She/he should be a woman or man of integrity with a history of interest in sacrificing and commitment to serve the common good rather than the private good.

This person should have a demonstrated national outlook behavior and attitude and not parochial or tribal both in rhetoric and practice This person should either have expertise in managing public affairs or at least have knowledge of electoral systems and electoral governance. As they say a politician looks at the next elections but a statesman at the next generation. The authorities mandated to conduct the process of appointing the commissioners should be statesmen and women but not politicians. The vetting process for appointing the new commissioners should also be subjected to public scrutiny. The parliamentary appointments vetting committee should allow public participation and interaction. There should be public hearings and comments as is the practice in the other standing committees of parliament. Of course it would have been better if the constitution was reviewed and a less politicised body such as the judicial or public service commission ideally select, interview and recommend to the president for appointment. Thereafter parliament would come in to vet the names as a matter of formality.

In my opinion the politics of constituting the electoral commission and the mode of appointing this important body will either build or destroy Uganda depending on whether the men and women in the political class decide to be statesmen and look at building for the next generation or decide to be politicians and look at how to win the next elections. A transparent exercise for appointment of the commissioners and the executive secretary of the electoral commission is the only guarantee for the independence, impartiality, non-partisanship, credibility and legitimacy of the commission and by extension for elections in Uganda.

The traditional political party of Kabaka Yekka is effectively banned in the country of Uganda. The court case for the party to try and defend itself took place on 11/05/2005 at Kampala, Uganda. The details of this case are well outlined in legal form on the website kabakayekka.org.uk.

The political party of NRM has done all it can to entrench itself in power and cannot hope to run and develop this country without the cooperation of the rest of the citizens of this country that might have a different political opinion from theirs. The country of Buganda which is the political base of this political party got its political independence before it joined the rest of the neighbouring provinces to make up the general independence of the country of Uganda. Lack of state respect for such an international agreement and obligation continue to cause incessant civil wars where people's lives and property are destroyed on a very large scale. Indeed countries that have no civil wars have a very high standard of development in this modern world.

There are 12 African tribal states that made up the country of Uganda during the 1960s. The political parties that organized this international agreement are still in existance apart from the party of Kabaka Yekka. The government of President Obote banned the party of Kabaka Yekka. The government of President Idi Amin ruled by decree. When President Museveni came to power in 1986, he banned all these parties until these political parties came to an agreement to work with the NRM regime for their survival to be guaranteed. The party of Kabaka Yekka was refused this political opportunity to associate in the business of running this country.

Every citizen of the country of Buganda and Uganda is well aware of the immense government inefficiencies the political party of the NRM has made in trying to develop this country. Lots of public publications have been printed out about this problem. The poor condition of the hospitals and the education system is an immediate social problem that concerns our lives. There are indeed many reasons why every citizen in the country of Buganda must not continue to participate in the general elections the NRM regime keeps putting up as a show of democracy to the international communities. After these incessant rigged elections this government rules the people of this country under the tyranny of NRM rule now 29 years. The political party of Kabaka Yekka advises all the citizens of the country of Buganda this time round not to associate and participate in the coming national general election scheduled to be exercised in the year 2016.

Unfortunately for the many political parties that are registered under the banner of this regime these parties have an obligation to keep to their side of the political bargain they have made with the NRM tyrannical rule.

For the tribal African states with their citizens, they have the advice and option to follow the political position of the state of Buganda and its citizens.

Yours faithfully,

Mbuga Elamula

General Secretary

Kabaka Yekka Political Party.

In Uganda the EC boss warns Besigye on defiance campaign as the 2016 General Election gets near again:

Speaking to journalists at the EC headquarters in Kampala yesterday, Mr Kiggundu said if Dr Besigye doesn’t heed the EC’s directive, he will face the wrath of the law. Dr Besigye has repeatedly on his campaign trail said the election will be won “not by compliance but by defiance.” He has also vowed not to go to court if there is vote-rigging, saying this will be sorted using people power.

This has, however, attracted condemnation from the EC. “The commission has noted with concern the consistent calls by candidate Kizza Besigye for defiance as a campaign strategy. This kind of campaign is likely to have serious impact on the conduct of peaceful campaigns and elections,” said Dr Kiggundu.

When the EC boss was put to task on what action will be taken if Dr Besigye doesn’t stop his campaign of defiance, Dr Kiggundu said; “This is an activity guided by the law, I warn you once, twice; the next time don’t blame me, that can’t go on forever. You will be here and we will communicate the action.”

But FDC spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda said the campaign will continue. “What Dr Besigye is doing is prepare people to rise up in case they steal the election like they have always done,” said Mr Ssemujju, who is also the Kyadondo East MP.

“Unless Kiggundu is preparing to steal the election, he shouldn’t be bothered by Dr Besigye’s message. “Does he want people to go to Rubaga and Namirembe (cathedrals) and Kibuli (mosque) to pray after the election has been stolen?”

"I was misled into funding 2011 polls," regrets the long serving Governor of the Bank of Uganda:

Bank of Uganda governor Tumusiime-Mutebile.

PHOTO BY STEPHEN WANDERA

By Isaac Imaka & Stephen Otage

Posted Thursday, November 13 2014

The governor’s comments came after participants at the conference asked him to explain why the country suffered unprecedented inflation levels in 2011 just after the general elections.

Kampala- Bank of Uganda Governor Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile has said he was misled by the government into indirectly financing electioneering activities in 2011, an action which plunged the country’s economy into chaos.

While addressing the 10th annual meeting of the African Science Academies at the Lake Victoria Serena Hotel on Tuesday morning, Mr Mutebile said although the Central Bank did not directly print money for the elections, there were indirect expenditures by the government into areas that were not transparent.

“I can assure you that the Central Bank did not directly print this money but where government expenditure is directed to areas that are not completely transparent, I cannot determine how much of the money I have created ended up in political electioneering,” he said.

The governor’s comments came after participants at the conference asked him to explain why the country suffered unprecedented inflation levels in 2011 just after the general elections. Mr Mutebile said the money was passed on to government through treasury bills but vowed that he would never do this again.

“You should remember that the economy of this country was thrown into total chaos after the last elections allegedly because central bank had printed a lot of money to finance the elections,” he said.

He added: “I was there as central bank governor. I didn’t participate whatsoever but because there was some spending by government dependent on treasury bills which I was issuing, “I was financing government indirectly. But since we understood that, we have never done it again and I will not do it this time.”

He quickly added that, “I have never accepted an order from President Museveni where that order was inconsistent with my duties. Never!”

Deputy NRM party spokesman Ofwono Opondo questioned the governor’s sense of professionalism and also asks if he was placed at gunpoint to accept to do what he knew was wrong.

He also said Mr Mutebile could not have funded NRM because it is not a company that can buy treasury bills.

Mr Opondo, who is also the Media Centre executive director, said: “He should not shift his incompetence to NRM or government as a whole. What I know is that the elections were funded by government 100 per cent and it was through a process of budgeting.”